1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to barriers and more particularly to modular panels for contaminant barriers capable of enclosing products and the like in manufacturing plants.
2. Background
In manufacturing facilities and production environments, it is common to protect products on conveyor systems from airborne contaminants in order to reduce product defects and increase quality. Paint and corrosion coating processes are two examples of applications for these structures.
To isolate the production facilities, an enclosure is often constructed to surround the work areas. These enclosures have a skeletal framework and a cover of a plastic film providing isolation from contaminants and dust which often become airborne. In order to facilitate frequent production line changes, these structures sometimes provide for modular assembly, consisting of inter-connecting component panels. However, the present way used to attach the plastic film to the surrounding framework decreases the structural properties of the load-bearing frame and makes it difficult to replace damaged cover sheets.